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Minnesota Annual Meeting Focuses on Fellowship

By October 9, 2020No Comments

Darrell Friar pays tribute to Dwight LaPine (left), pastor of Calvary Baptist, Rochester, Minn.

ROCHESTER, Minn.—Calvary Baptist Church hosted the annual meeting of the Minnesota Association of Regular Baptist Churches Sept. 21-23.

Mike Hess, GARBC national representative, spoke during the four main sessions on “Focus on Fellowship: Now More than Ever.”

For those in ministry, fellowshipping with others who are also serving God is important, points out Darrell Friar, state representative of the Minnesota association. Elijah in the Bible, Darrell says, “was prone to discouragement and defeat because he thought he stood alone. Even after a major victory over Baal on Mt. Carmel, Elijah was down in the dumps. God encouraged Elijah to realize there were 7,000 others who were also serving Jehovah.”

Fellowshipping with others in ministry is especially important today, as “the pandemic has created all sorts of new ministry situations,” Darrell says. Fellowshipping creates opportunities to encourage one another, discover new ministry tools, help sister churches, and build accountability.

In addition to learning from the Word of God, attendees paid tribute to Dwight and Peggy LaPine. Dwight is completing his ministry at Calvary Baptist Church after serving there as pastor since 1997. The couple have been in ministry for 38 years, with Dwight’s first role as youth pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in 1982. He was later youth pastor at First Baptist Church, Hibbing, Minnesota, and pastor of Faith Baptist Church, Hermantown, Minnesota.

“The LaPines have given countless hours of service to their churches and our fellowship,” Darrell says.